Oliver w



)(NO Model.)

0. W. WHI-TEHEAD.

' FENCE.

Patented Jan. 14, 18%;

lNl ENTOR WITNESSES: I a" A TTOHNE Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER \V. lVHI'lEIlEAD, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO AMOS LINT, OF SAME PLACE.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,944, dated January 14, 1896.

Application filed June 15 1895.

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that LOLIVER W. WHrrEHEAD, of Dayton, county of Montgomery, State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in lVire Fences; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in wire fences, with specific reference to means for preventing the cornerpost from rising out of the ground under the strain incident to the tightening of the linewires. As the corner-post is called upon to meet the entire strain due to tightening of said wires, much trouble is experienced in providin g a post that will keep a proper position in the ground. An anchor has generally been employed to overcome this objection; but alone an anchor is incapable of fully meeting the requirements. Therefore the object of the present invention is to employ additional means to this end, all of which will be fully described in the following specification and pointed out in the claim.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fence-corner constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig.- 2 is a detached top view of the cable-tightening device. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the inner face of the ratchet-plate. Fig. at is a detached side view of the ratchet end of the windingshaft.

A designates a corner-post of the usual tubular form, having a cap a and a groundpoint a, and a flange a" adapted to come in contact with the surface of the ground.

B designates an adjacent brace-post of similar construction to the post A, and having ground-point b and flange b..

O designates a top horizontal tubular brace mounted on dowels c and c projecting from collars (Z and cl, whichare maintained in position on the posts by pins e and e.

D designates an inclined tubular brace running from the upper portion of the post A to the lower portion. of the brace-post B and Seria1N'o.562,9 i5. (No model.)

mounted on a dowel c projecting from the band or collar cl and upon a dowel f projecting from a collar (3" which incloses a lower portion of the brace-post B and is maintained in, position thereon by a pin f projectingfroin said post.

As thus far described it will be noted that the office of the braces G and D is to prevent the posts A and B from moving inwardly; but they co-operate further, in connection with other devices to be presently described, in looking the parts rigidly, to the end that neither post will be permitted to move from its proper position.

9 designates an angular clevis that surrounds a lower portion of the corner-post A, and to which the anchor-rod h is hooked j ust above the ground-line. This clevis rests upon a pin h projecting through the post and has a shaft 11 journaled in its open end upon which is mounted a pulley j. v

k designates an anchor-cable, one end of which is secured to arm is projecting fronrthe collar d on the upper end of the post B. This cable takes the inclined course shown, sur rounds the pulley j and continues horizontally to the lower portion of the brace-post B, at which point it is attached to a ratchet or governor m that is attached to said post in proximity to the flange 1). It will be noted the strain incident to a tightening of the cable is will be directed equally upon the upper and lower parts of the brace-post B, and from thence it is transferred to the upper end of the anchor-post, the lower end of which is main tained firmly in position and prevented from rising through the agency of the clevis g, which is held down firmly by the anchor. It will be readily seen that when the anchorchain is tightened to the requisite tension the parts are locked in rigid contact, and that the anchor exerts an equal influence upon both posts A and B to prevent their rising from the ground. Referring, further, to the ratchetgovernor for winding the anchor-cable 7c and the line-wires F, this device consists of a springmietal band a which incloses the post B, and is provided with journal-openings in which is mounted a winding-shaft 91. cut away at n to provide means for locking the washer p on the shaft n in order that the nut 72 maybe compelled to turn with said shaft. The head of this shaft is provided with a series of rounded and tapering projections 0 that interlock with a similar series of cavities 0 in the outer face of a circular plate 0. This latter plate is pro vided with two inwardly-projecting flanges s diametrically opposite each other and which are adapted to project over the edges of the band 7% and become locked thereto. The shaft on is turned by a wrench or similar tool inclosing. the square portion 3. This device maybe placed in a condition to allow the cable 70 to contract under the influence of cold weather by slightly loosening the nut 41 Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent The combination with the corner post A, the adjacent brace post -B-, and the horizontal brace --C-, of: an inclined brace D connected to the lower portion of the post B- above the ground, and to the upper end of the corner post A-, a clevis surrounding the lower portion of the post A, pins -72, projecting from said post and upon which said clevis bears, a grooved pulley mounted on said clevis, a double guy wire -K attached to the upper end of the post -B, passing downwardly on an incline to the lower end of the post -A where it passes around the pulley and extends horizontally to the lower end of the post -B-, and means for tightening the guy wire, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of June, 1895.

OLIVER W. XVHITEHEAD. "\Yitnesses:

R. J. MOGARTY, J. D. CLARK. 

